TumblingTurquoise's recent activity
-
Comment on Apple TV+ promotion: $3/month for three months in ~tv
-
Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
TumblingTurquoise LinkAt the end of February I put together my first solo art show. In March, I decided that deadlines & project-based work are good for me, so I spent the month making two zines. One poetry zine, and...At the end of February I put together my first solo art show. In March, I decided that deadlines & project-based work are good for me, so I spent the month making two zines. One poetry zine, and another wordless comic.
Now that those two projects are done, I’m trying to catch my footing. I will attend a zine festival at the end of the month, so I need to go back and print & bind more of them. Which is an activity I don’t particularly enjoy.
However, I did play around with 2D animation these past few days, and I enjoy doing it; so once I’m done with printing zines, I will make a 30s long animated short.
-
Comment on What's your favorite music album to get high to? in ~music
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentSometimes when I have a free morning, I lie down on the couch to listen to this album; it gives me a mild psychedelic feeling, without getting any drugs involved :)Sometimes when I have a free morning, I lie down on the couch to listen to this album; it gives me a mild psychedelic feeling, without getting any drugs involved :)
-
Comment on What's your favorite music album to get high to? in ~music
TumblingTurquoise LinkI have two. The Dark Side of The Moon, Pink Floyd Modern Addiction, TenderI have two.
The Dark Side of The Moon, Pink Floyd
Modern Addiction, Tender -
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentThe remake is amazing, it’s very faithful to the concept of the first game, yet it makes a lot of big improvements. The level design is a lot tighter, the “AI director” system is very effective in...The remake is amazing, it’s very faithful to the concept of the first game, yet it makes a lot of big improvements. The level design is a lot tighter, the “AI director” system is very effective in building the atmosphere, the story is fleshed out more (fun fact: in the original, Isaac was a silent protagonist), and some tedious missions are reworked for the better.
I really hope the same studio gets the green light for remaking the sequel. Dead Space 2 was an even better game, so I’m curious what they can do with it.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
TumblingTurquoise (edited )LinkAssassin’s Creed has been my favourite series for a long time, at least until the RPG ones. So after I saw good reviews for Shadows, I decided to bite the bullet. It’s really a mixed bag. The game...Assassin’s Creed has been my favourite series for a long time, at least until the RPG ones. So after I saw good reviews for Shadows, I decided to bite the bullet. It’s really a mixed bag.
The game itself looks great, but the world feels dead; there’s a bunch of stuff moving about without any point. The wilderness feels empty, because not much happens in it. There are random encounters, but they are not memorable at all. They usually boil down to making a binary choice and being rewarded with a popup: new content unlocked on the map.
The finishers, parkour & assassination animations look similarly great, but there are so few of them; literally a couple per category. Gone are the days of AC3’s 700 distinct finishers.
The dialogue is mostly cringe, the story is nonsense, the voice acting not great, and the facial animations are entirely algorithmically driven; even during cutscenes. It’s noticeable.
The entire game in fact is algorithmically driven, from facial animations to the placement of props, objectives, etc.
But there is one saving grace to the game: the fantasy of playing as a lethal but vulnerable shinobi is amazing and very well executed. With the difficulty cranked to the max, and most UI elements disabled, I am having a blast, and I can definitely recommend the game for fans of older AC titles. This one has IMO the best and most polished stealth gameplay in the entire series. The enemies react, coordinate (a bit) and act unpredictably (sometimes). It’s great, but it’s a shame that this nugget of greatness is buried in the middle of some open-world, vanilla bullshit that has no vision or value.
Another edit: the hideout system is also a big plus for the game. It’s the only place where characters you know all go about their business, and you can have short dialogues with them. Reminds me of the camp in RDR2, but there the system as a whole was a lot more refined, and had a clear artistic direction. Shadows lacks that, from many points of view.
-
Comment on ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ follow-up in the works with Brad Pitt starring, David Fincher directing a Quentin Tarantino script in ~movies
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentJesus, that sounds quite bad. Honestly, up until reading that his daughters dropped his name, I was skeptical. But you are right, it is a bad sign by itself, even in the absence of hard evidence....Jesus, that sounds quite bad. Honestly, up until reading that his daughters dropped his name, I was skeptical. But you are right, it is a bad sign by itself, even in the absence of hard evidence.
I kinda wish I didn’t learn about this, since I really love a lot of his movies…
-
Comment on ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ follow-up in the works with Brad Pitt starring, David Fincher directing a Quentin Tarantino script in ~movies
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentWhy wouldn’t he?Why wouldn’t he?
-
Comment on Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy under fire at Warner Bros. amid box office flops: ‘We didn’t want to fail’ David Zaslav in ~movies
TumblingTurquoise LinkThere’s a lot more context in the article than what the title implies. This comment (“failing Zaslav”) didn’t turn out until the very end. Personally I can’t wrap my head around this notion of...There’s a lot more context in the article than what the title implies. This comment (“failing Zaslav”) didn’t turn out until the very end.
Personally I can’t wrap my head around this notion of screen testing movies, especially when it comes to auteurs like Anderson. How can changing the movie based on statistical opinions really work for the better of it?
-
Comment on V-Rising dev update #29: Weapons of the night in ~games
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentSomehow I forgot about those tweaks, it’s probably worth me trying to reduce the grind that way. But the days unfortunately don’t have enough hours for everything I want to do, including...Somehow I forgot about those tweaks, it’s probably worth me trying to reduce the grind that way. But the days unfortunately don’t have enough hours for everything I want to do, including videogames. I was also playing it by myself, perhaps that also contributed to a worse impression of the game?
-
Comment on V-Rising dev update #29: Weapons of the night in ~games
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentI was eager to play it once finished, and bought it instantly after it left Early Access. I must have played it for 4h max, because the gameplay is not that interesting, the control scheme is very...I was eager to play it once finished, and bought it instantly after it left Early Access. I must have played it for 4h max, because the gameplay is not that interesting, the control scheme is very atypical (PS5) and there is way too much grinding for basically everything. I was expecting something like Grim Dawn but with vampires & building, but instead got something similar to WoW (because of the grinding)
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentNot sure how they handle combat in KDC1, but I think it is superbly implemented in KDC2. The game gives you some nebulous description of how it works, and you really have to find swordsmen that...Not sure how they handle combat in KDC1, but I think it is superbly implemented in KDC2. The game gives you some nebulous description of how it works, and you really have to find swordsmen that explain the mechanics to you in detail, and then you practice. Perhaps the same option exists in KDC1 as well.
-
Comment on eBay privacy policy update and AI opt-out in ~tech
TumblingTurquoise (edited )Link ParentAbout your cookie remark: for me, each website I encounter that does not allow me to reject everything easily is an instant block in Kagi. And frankly, I don’t understand how it’s OK, accepted &...About your cookie remark: for me, each website I encounter that does not allow me to reject everything easily is an instant block in Kagi. And frankly, I don’t understand how it’s OK, accepted & compliant to have the user manually reject thousands of vendors.
Something else I noticed on other websites which I’m not sure if it’s an intended choice, but seems scummy nonetheless: they use some common cookie template that looks like many other websites, except the Accept & Reject All buttons are switched; it happened for me to instantly accept a bunch of cookies like that.
-
Comment on Tips on attending a metal fest in Europe in ~travel
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentVery good advice. Can confirm, I also have permanent tinnitus; 24/7 ringing in my ears. What I can say is only this: I wish I didn’t have it.Very good advice. Can confirm, I also have permanent tinnitus; 24/7 ringing in my ears. What I can say is only this: I wish I didn’t have it.
-
Comment on Original ‘Looney Tunes’ no longer available on Max in ~tv
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentTo add onto this, there is also the question of paying residuals to the people involved in the production of a show. If it’s taken down, then nobody can stream it, then they don’t have to pay...To add onto this, there is also the question of paying residuals to the people involved in the production of a show. If it’s taken down, then nobody can stream it, then they don’t have to pay anything to anyone.
-
Comment on The photographer who takes no pictures in ~life
TumblingTurquoise LinkCoincidentally, this hits close to a recent realisation I had, in regard to writing. I started going to exhibitions & writing down my experience seeing the art. Simple, concise and honest. I don’t...When everything is documented, but little is truly seen, choosing what’s preserved, and who your audience is, becomes a form of presence.
Coincidentally, this hits close to a recent realisation I had, in regard to writing. I started going to exhibitions & writing down my experience seeing the art. Simple, concise and honest. I don’t necessarily make judgements, or examine what’s on display. A year ago I would have found this to be a pointless exercise - why write, if I don’t have anything to say.
But nowadays, I feel that the things themselves to which I pay attention carry enough meaning, all else being equal. I don’t need to make a judgement in order to record some moment, because just the act of recording it, filters it through many lenses. I can only see, hear & imagine so much in relation to one object. And whatever I observe is likely a different object than what a person next to me experiences. All of it further being filtered through the lens of my personality & life experience.
I choose to preserve what interests me, captures my attention, and that makes it enough for me.
-
Comment on Poetry discussion: Everything by Srikanth Reddy in ~books
TumblingTurquoise LinkHers is the sky (solar eclipse, blue kite, cloud, prayer), his is the sea (broken bottle, sailor, map of the sea). Hers is the wandering mind, his is the home-less soul. In the beginning, she was...Hers is the sky (solar eclipse, blue kite, cloud, prayer), his is the sea (broken bottle, sailor, map of the sea).
Hers is the wandering mind, his is the home-less soul.
In the beginning, she was not seeing him for who he is, for she was looking at the light, the truth, through many layers.
When she fell in love with who she thought he was, he found a reminder of who he really is. Before then, he was lost - a sailor in a forest. The kite, blue as the sea, blue as the sky. A reminder of something closer to the truth. Perhaps the sea is not the only place for him to search.
When his name changed, he changed. From one profession to another. He became true, and of the earth; so she brought her idea of him down to the raggedy earth.
Before this, they never really met. He was a stranger to himself, and to her too. Her mind stopped wandering the skies, and his soul stopped searching for the sea. They became each other’s “Everything”, just as the sea cannot exist without a sky above, or a sky without the sea.
-
Comment on Repeatedly upvoting violent content on Reddit can now get you flagged in ~tech
TumblingTurquoise LinkI don’t get what the practical goal is. If they have the capability to detect violent content, why don’t they block the posts entirely?I don’t get what the practical goal is. If they have the capability to detect violent content, why don’t they block the posts entirely?
-
Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
TumblingTurquoise LinkSaw Mickey 17 in the theatre. What a mess and a waste of an interesting idea. What starts as an interesting exploration of a dystopian concept, slowly devolves into chaos, contrived ideas and...Saw Mickey 17 in the theatre. What a mess and a waste of an interesting idea. What starts as an interesting exploration of a dystopian concept, slowly devolves into chaos, contrived ideas and characters that are nothing more than caricatures. The plot is steadily moved forward by events happening for the sake of moving the action forward. There’s so many plot threads that don’t say or mean anything, that don’t go anywhere satisfying. The writing was on the level of a pre-teen having one too many ideas. I remember reading some reviews on it, and even the Rotten Tomatoes page praises the “social critique”. Sorry, what? There’s as much critique as me yelling “you are wrong because you are an idiot and your face is stupid” - which literally happens in the movie.
Besides Robert Pattinson’s performance, there’s not much to laud here. I can’t believe it’s made by the same person who put Parasite out. Genuinely: how?
-
Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentI can only share a different perspective for you to consider: do you have a reason for writing it? Does the essay have a purpose for existing? I believe that creating is akin to giving birth to...I can only share a different perspective for you to consider: do you have a reason for writing it? Does the essay have a purpose for existing? I believe that creating is akin to giving birth to life. The creation will either step into the light, or it will not. If it does come out, it will stand as it is; imperfections and all. At its base, there is no middle ground.
Even though there are some shows I like on this service, Severance included, I hesitate to get a subscription for a very simple reason: a lot of their shows are unfinished. I already got burned a couple of times watching series that get cancelled, so I do not watch anything that isn’t already finished.